Showing results for regulate.

Synonyms

regulate

American

[reg-yuh-layt] / ˈrɛg jəˌleɪt /

verb (used with object)

to control or direct by a rule, principle, method, etc..

The statute is intended to regulate the business practices of architects by establishing a code of professional conduct.

Synonyms:

dispose, arrange, adjust, order, conduct, manage, govern, rule
to adjust to some standard or requirement, as amount, degree, etc..

A film was applied to the windows to help regulate the temperature and reduce glare.

Synonyms:

set
to adjust so as to ensure accuracy of operation.

If the watch is consistently off, it can be fixed relatively simply by regulating the beat rate.
to put or keep something in good order or within reasonable limits.

Playful interactions with adult caregivers help children develop the ability to regulate their emotions and behavior.

Synonyms:

balance
Biology. to adjust or adapt (a bodily process or function) in response to external stimuli.
Genetics. to control the expression of (a gene or genes).

regulate British

/ ˈrɛɡjʊˌleɪt /

verb

to adjust (the amount of heat, sound, etc, of something) as required; control
to adjust (an instrument or appliance) so that it operates correctly
to bring into conformity with a rule, principle, or usage

"Collins English Dictionary — Complete & Unabridged" 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

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Present

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Etymology

Origin of regulate

First recorded in 1620–30, from Late Latin rēgulātus (past participle of rēgulāre “to direct”); see regula, -ate ¹

Explanation

The on-off spigot regulates the flow of water into your bathtub. When a government regulates an industry, they set standards the industry must follow. To regulate means to impose control. Regulate shares a root with the word, regular. When the transit authority regulates a train schedule, it makes sure trains arrive on a more regular schedule. The pharmaceutical industry is heavily regulated –– before a drug can be marketed, it must be tested. On a more personal level, if you want to regulate your digestive system, try eating more fiber... or prunes!

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Vocabulary lists containing regulate

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Example Sentences

Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.

See Examples For:

regulate regulates regulated regulating

That has ignited a societal debate over how best to monitor and regulate the new technology.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Oct. 23, 2026

The findings could also improve our understanding of major geochemical cycles, particularly the long-term carbon cycle, which helps regulate Earth's climate by moving carbon between the surface and the planet's interior.

From Science Daily ● Oct. 22, 2026

It wants a public awareness campaign to warn about the dangers, along with a review to look at how better to regulate online advertising.

From BBC ● Oct. 22, 2026

“What would be wrong is to try and regulate things now that we don’t even fully understand,” Hassabis says.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Oct. 21, 2026

A far greater number came as sightseers, which is why policemen had to be stationed at the door to regulate the flow of visitors.

From "The Great Fire" by Jim Murphy

Made up of tightly connected cells surrounding the brain's blood vessels, it carefully regulates which substances can enter brain tissue while helping maintain conditions necessary for removing potentially harmful waste.

From Science Daily ● Oct. 19, 2026

It marks the largest-ever penalty by the OCC, which regulates national banks.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Oct. 13, 2026

The commission also regulates lobbying and can issue penalties for fundraising and other infractions.

From Los Angeles Times ● Oct. 1, 2026

Department of Transportation attaching itself to a series paid for by companies it regulates, including United Airlines, Chase Travel, Toyota, Boeing and Royal Caribbean.

From Salon ● Aug. 23, 2026

Hie part of my brain that regulates time definitely hasn’t adjusted to being back yet, but neither has the rest of me.

From "Amina's Song" by Hena Khan

While Polymarket recently launched a regulated U.S. venue, its main high-volume international crypto exchange remains off-limits to traders based in the U.S. — although there are workarounds, like using a VPN to mask one’s location.

From MarketWatch ● Oct. 21, 2026

When we spoke, it was unclear how—or if—the industry would be regulated.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Oct. 21, 2026

City of Edinburgh Council said its licensing policy was helping make sure holiday lets were safe and properly regulated.

From BBC ● Oct. 19, 2026

Under normal circumstances, DEAF1 is regulated by a family of proteins known as FOXOs.

From Science Daily ● Oct. 16, 2026

The attitude of America toward this boy regulated his most intimate dealings with his own kind.

From "Native Son" by Richard Wright

If brain fog and anxiety are concerns, simply regulating nutritional intake can solve for that, no matter what your cortisol tests say.

From Slate ● Oct. 9, 2026

One possibility involves the body's mechanisms for regulating vitamin D. When concentrations of vitamin D metabolites rise, the body may accelerate the breakdown and removal of these compounds to keep levels under control.

From Science Daily ● Oct. 8, 2026

Their application argues that the decision by the Parades Commission -- the independent body regulating contentious marches -- misrepresented police evidence about the risk of disorder.

From Barron's ● Oct. 5, 2026

So why is it China that is taking the lead in regulating this technology?

From BBC ● Sep. 30, 2026

Since the turn of the century, politicians had been introducing state and federal laws with hopes of regulating human experimentation, but physicians and researchers always protested.

From "The Immortal Life of Henrietta Lacks" by Rebecca Skloot

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Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023